Hello all, good-morning.
Have jsut returned from a gnu-linux lunacy trip yesterday we had arranged for the bombay gnu-linux users group at arnala beach resort; and the prime topic of conversation that gave us enough food for thought was..........
"Building Commercial Business Models based on FSF/OS " <<
Since this is an important issue, i will answer you mail in context as i see it very important to address all the issues that have cropped up in my mind since having read your email.
On Fri, 20 Dec 2002 11:44:34 +0530 (IST) Dr Tarique Sani tarique@sanisoft.com wrote:
On Fri, 20 Dec 2002, Trevor Warren wrote: Hello Fred, Trevor,
I am co-indentally just put the finishing touches to a document which outlines the Open Source Business Model used by my company SANIsoft
Feel free to have a preview at http://www.sanisoft.com/pages/18
[snip]
We appreciate the time/efforts spent in penning down your thoughts on sustainable business models based on FSF/OS.
I for one will go through them asap and i also urge other fellow luggers/fsf-os'ers to go through them too. It will surely help us frame up our own though processes and help it take shape in believing in a sustainable business model built on the realms of FSF/OS.
Please note that this is not an general article BUT a corporate strategy page hence it has a strong emphasis on *we* and *us* Flaming me wont have any effect :)
[snip]
Long time ago.....we have decided that EGO's trips accross LUG's and in LUG's have to be sorted out. So, lets all set our principal differences apart and work in unison towards achieving our common goal.
BUT the point is that a lot of work already has gone into what is being talked about in these previous few mail (see the links at the bottom specially the setting up shop link)
So my questions with regards to business models are -
- What is this group (if I may call it that) aiming at?
[snip]
This as you see Dr. Sani is a closely knit group of fsf/os and gnu-linux enthusiasts who are keenly looking at mining data related to Business Models that one can build on and which are solely relevant in a country such as India.
After a lot of thought, i was convinced that it is imperative that we run a contest inviting Business models based on FSF/OS which would help us showcase them all for future reference. This would also help cultivate the Right Business Ethics into the mindsets of the young-bright and catalyse them into giving FSF/OS a serious thought as a carreer option.
- What are proposals to take the existing body of work forward?
[snip]
First, we need to hash out amoung ourselves the framework for the same. We need to continue discussion on these lines and frame out the objectives for the long run.
As i mention in my previous point, some of the objectives i have mentioned stand. We can add to the same. That apart, once they have been layed down the onus rests on us to take this proposal to some of the industry biggie-wiggies and get their commercial support towards framing a contest based on the above.
Then once the groundwork is tard bit more clearer we go out and populate all the mailing lists/Colleges/Schools with the contest details inviting participation high and low. Companies like IBM/RedHat seem like the most likely sponsors of the same.
The order of events as mentioned above could definitely change, depending on the course of action taken.
- How can we make all this relevant in the Indian scenario?
[snip]
More than ever there has been an increasing ardent fan following for FSF/OS in our Beaureaucracies/Governments. This demands that we fuel the flame and provide them good insight which would surely help our own FSF/OS pundits forward their cause and thus for the same populate them with enough appropirate data.
There is more that i want and could write justifying the cause of need for such events.
Lets all put our thinking caps and get started on the same. Volunteer efforts for the same are welcome from far and wide.
Bye for now all and have a great day.
Trevor
Cheers Tarique
Hello all, good morning.
A whole lot of issues is what i am trying to comprehend with over the last couple of months. Among them these two figure out the most.
--> Opening up our mind to ideas from the non FSF/OS world. --> Working our Business models for FSF/OS. --> Looking beyond Lugs.
We need to have more initiatives on a national perspective and i am in for forging relationships on different perspectives.
That apart i was thinking on the lines of roping in some sponsors and have organise a Contest all over the country based on...
Developing Business models on FSF/OS <<.
Am keen on having the same done. If each of you pitch in a little bit, together we can have the same done. It would go al ong way in getting the intended VIEW POINT OF the FSF/OS proponents out to the world and also act as a reference point for all future arguments.
Bye for now and awaiting your response on the same.
Have a great day all.
Trevor
On Wed, 18 Dec 2002 23:36:17 +0530 (IST) Frederick Noronha fred@bytesforall.org wrote:
This sounds very interesting. I was recently met with Dr Tarique Sani, an Open Source advocate from Nagpur, and he was mentioning six models from earning a living from Free/Libre and Open Source Software. My friend Abhas Abhinav of Deeproot Linux has also written a cover story on 'How to Eat Open Source' some time back for DeveloperIQ. Just cc'ing this to them. FN
On Tue, 17 Dec 2002, Trevor Warren wrote:
Hello FN, How about having a contest on framing Business models based on Free Software.
I am sure we can rope in some sponsors and then get them to foster the young minds to build a feasible buisiness model based on FSF/OS.
Lemme know if this interests you. We can figure out the modalitities later. I would like to run this on an all india level.
Bye for now.
Trevor
On 16 Dec 2002 13:57:42 -0000 ilug-goa@yahoogroups.com wrote:
The following ilug-goa poll is now closed. Here are the final results:
POLL QUESTION: Is it possible to make a living from Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS)?
CHOICES AND RESULTS
- No way, you must be kidding..., 0 votes, 0.00%
- Mmmm... I'm not sure about this, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Maybe, under certain circumstances, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Yes, I'm confident I could do it, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Why not?, 0 votes, 0.00%
- For individuals and small firms yes, not for large companies
with overheads, 0 votes, 0.00% - It's possible, but different business models need to be adopted, 3 votes, 60.00% - You can making a living(or more)... but not your millions, 1 votes, 20.00%
- This is the
wrong premise on which to start a debate about FLOSS, 0 votes, 0.00% - This is a very crucial question that needs to be first answered, 0 votes, 0.00% - Proprietorial software has given us wrong ideas about how to earn from software, 0 votes, 0.00% - FLOSS could expand the market and create tonnes of more work, 0 votes, 0.00% - Giving away code for free would kill potential for creativity, 0 votes, 0.00% - Show us models that work, and we'll be convinced, 0 votes, 0.00% - How does RMS make his living anyway?, 1 votes, 20.00%
INDIVIDUAL VOTES
- No way, you must be kidding...
- Mmmm... I'm not sure about this
- Maybe, under certain circumstances
- Yes, I'm confident I could do it
- Why not?
- For individuals and small firms yes, not for large companies
with overheads - It's possible, but different business models need to be adopted - saniltalaulikar@yahoo.com - fred@bytesforall.org - trevorwarren@yahoo.com
- You can making a living (or more)... but not your millions
- mario@alienwiz.com
- This is the wrong premise on which to start a debate about
FLOSS
- This is a very crucial question that needs to be first
answered - Proprietorial software has given us wrong ideas about how to earn from software - FLOSS could expand the market and create tonnes of more work - Giving away code for free would kill potential for creativity - Show us models that work, and we'll be convinced - How does RMS make his living anyway? - a7ash@yahoo.com
--
PHP Applications for E-Biz: http://www.sanisoft.com
Indian PHP User Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/in-phpug